Download Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness
Health Indicators
Clear, bright eyes
Smooth, glossy coat
Good appetite
Energy
Interest in surroundings
Contributors to Health
Exercise
Good medical care
Proper nutrition
Disease prevention
Shelter from the elements
Adequate human/animal/environmental
interaction and stimulation
Principles of Disease
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Disease and Illness
Signs of Disease
Dull, rough coat
Dull eyes
No appetite
No energy
Vomiting/diarrhea
Lameness
Behavioral changes
Factors Causing Disease
Poor Nutrition
Environmental Factors – shelter, interaction with other animals,
what the animal is used for and how it is used
Parasites – both internal and external
Infectious agents – virus, bacteria, fungi, etc.
Non-infectious factors – poison, injury, age, etc.
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Pancreatitis
Causes
Many factors can lead to pancreatitis; there is no one specific cause. Dogs that get into the
garbage after holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter are at high risk. Other factors can
be drug therapies, such as cortisone, or certain types of surgical procedures.
Signs
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
fever
painful abdomen
severe attack- acute shock (fast heart beat, feel cold to the touch, and low blood pressure)
Diagnosis
Complete blood count (CBC) may show an elevated white blood cell count.
Blood tests may detect high enzyme levels of amylase and/or lipase.
Radiographs and ultrasound can show inflammation in the location of the pancreas.
Complications
Dogs that recover from acute pancreatitis may continue to have recurrent bouts of the disease,
known as chronic pancreatitis. Problems can occur if a large number of cells that make digestive
enzymes are destroyed because the dog will not be able to properly digest food. This condition,
known as pancreatic insufficiency, is treated with a daily dose of enzyme powder or tablets in food.
If enough pancreatic insulin cells are destroyed, diabetes mellitus can result and may require
insulin therapy.
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Leptospirosis
Causes
Bacteria passed in the urine of animals enter the body through broken skin, mucous membranes,
and bite wounds or by the ingestion of contaminated tissue, water, food or bedding. The organs
most affected in dogs are the kidneys and liver. Signs are visible 7 days after exposure.
Signs
The three common forms of Leptospirosis seen in dogs are: renal, hemorrhagic, and hepatic.
Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, depression, panting and loss of appetite are signs of all three forms.
Dogs with the renal form (the most common form) will have acute renal failure with little or no
urine production. They may have ulcers on the tongue and mouth, and have bad breath.
The hemorrhagic form will show multiple small hemorrhages in the mouth and conjunctiva (lining
of the eyelid). Blood may be present in stool, along with a bloody nose.
The hepatic form causes the dog to become jaundice (a yellow tint to the skin, the eyes and
gums). Other signs of the hepatic form are similar to the hemorrhagic form.
Diagnosis
Laboratory tests show an increase in leukocytes (white blood cells) and low platelets. Blood
chemistry tests show increased levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, indicators of kidney
disease. Other tests help determine the degree of liver damage.
Public health risk
Contaminated urine is highly infectious to humans and other species. Contaminated areas should
be washed with detergent and treated with disinfectants. Anyone coming in contact with
contaminated urine or animals should consider starting antibiotics as prevention.
Principles of Disease
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Cancer
A benign tumor is not cancerous. It is a growth of cells that does not destroy surrounding tissue
but can lessen function by its presence.
A malignant tumor is cancerous. It is an abnormal growth of cells that destroys surrounding
tissue and can spread to new body sites.
Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to other parts of the body, usually
through the lymphatic system or blood to areas such as the lungs and liver.
Classification of Tumors
Tumors can be categorized by origin and their cell features. The suffix of the tumor will indicate if
the tumor is benign or malignant. The ending (oma) usually means the tumor is benign and the
ending (sarcoma) usually means malignant. There will always be some exceptions to this for an
example, Melanoma (cancer of the skin), is usually malignant.
Tumor
Bone
Fiber tissue
Fat
Lymph nodes
Skin
Benign name
Osteoma
Fibroma
Lipoma
Malignant name
Osteosarcoma
Fibrosarcoma
Liposarcoma
Lymphoma
Mast Cell Sarcoma
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
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Cancer cont.
Carcinogenic factors (capable of causing cancer)
hereditary – genetically transmitted
hormonal
viral
trauma
congenital – existing at birth, but not hereditary
immunologic
chemical agents
Treatments
Surgery - the best method for removing single tumors.
Chemotherapy - multiple and single-chemical treatments.
Radiation Therapy - causes disruption of the cell DNA resulting
in death of that cell
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Therapeutics
Vaccines – used to prevent many diseases. Some vaccines are more successful at preventing
disease than others depending on the make up of the vaccine and the tenacity of the disease.
Drugs – used to treat and/or prevent diseases. Drugs can be used as a stand alone treatment, or in
combination with another form of treatment.
Surgery – used in cases where drug treatment is not an option, for emergencies, or in combination
with drug treatment. In some cases surgery may be a last resort due to the risks associated with it.
Alternative Therapy – a group of treatments originating from Eastern philosophy of the mind, body
and soul. These forms of treatment were once rejected by Western medicine as primitive quack
medicine. Today, they are becoming more widely used and accepted as they are showing proven
results.
Vitamin and mineral supplements
Massage therapy
Acupressure
Acupuncture
Magnetic therapy
Meditation
Herbal Therapy
Hypnotherapy
Chiropractics
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